BRAZOS INSTITUTE

BRAZOS INSTITUTE. Brazos Institute, located in Golconda (later Palo Pinto) in Palo Pinto County, was organized by representatives from twelve Baptist churches, called the Brazos River Association, in 1858. The group met with representatives of Providence Church in Parker County and subscribed $7.20 toward forming a Baptist school. A committee to raise further money was appointed, including Rev. G. W. Slaughter, John Hittson, William (Choctaw Bill) Robinson, and Noah T. Byars.qqv Within a year $1,500 had been raised, and the school had a stone building. Courses were offered for only one term, taught by three teachers, one of whom was Mrs. Byars. More than seventy students were enrolled. There are two versions of why the school closed. One says that the building was defective, the other that the chaos attendant upon the Civil War forced abandonment of the school in 1861. The building was torn down in 1867.